Living on the edge in the North Pacific....with two kids, two dogs, a manic husband and a wife who tries to keep up with the pack.

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Sunday, January 10, 2010

Dismal Days

This weather is beginning to get a little monotonous - 40 degrees and raining for what seems like forever. Today on my way to go skiing I noticed that Boy Scout Lake is ice free, and Buskin Lake mostly so. We have lost almost all our snow below the 1000 foot level, and lately it has been melting all the way up to the 2000 foot level. Up until last week at least when it rained we were getting new snow above 1500 feet, but not anymore. I can't wait for it to get cold again. One thing for sure - when it does get cold again, it will brighten up.

I find cold winters in Kodiak to be so much brighter. The light reflects off of the snow and when it is cold it also tends to be clear. So there is more sunshine. People who say they prefer warm winters tend to forget that in Kodiak warm in winter means fog and rain.

The photo above is of the snow at the 1000 foot level today on Pyramid. The skiing is actually pretty good down to this point. I have been trying to go skiing every day because I am still hoping to race in the Tour Of Anchorage cross country ski race this coming March. I have not gotten in much cross country skiing but at least I'm climbing mountains. The bummer is that all the Anchorage skiiers have had great cross country skiing conditions this winter. They have been training like crazy. I'll have my work cut out trying to get competitive this year. Patrick